Safety face mask



Jan. 2, 1962 F. J. ROGOWSKI 3,015,105

SAFETY FACE MASK Filed July 19, 1960 INVEN TOR. FRANK J. ROGOWSKI United States Patent 3,015,105 SAFETY FACE MASK Frank J. Rogowski, 4-21 Astoria Blvd., Long Island City, N.Y. Filed July 19, 1960, Ser. No. 43,909 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-9) This invention concerns a safety facial mask especially adapted for shielding a persons face during beauty treatments, or while performing household or industrial tasks in a dusty or spray-laden atmosphere.

According to the invention there is provided a form fitting mask for the face adapted to fit the contours thereof. The mask is made of transparent plastic material such as vinyl, acrylic or other synthetic resin. It is moistureproof, rigid or semirigid, resistant to acids, dyes and other chemicals, warm to the touch, light in weight and resistant to cracking and breakage. A channel is provided in the mask for receiving the wearers nose and defining a passage for air, and permitting the wearer to breathe freely. The mask fits around the face up to the ears, up to the hair line at the forehead and under the chin. Earpieces may be provided to hold the mask on the face. When in use, beauty treatments can be applied such as hair spraying and the like without disturbing makeup on the face. The user can wear the mask while performing tasks in a dusty atmosphere. It can also be used as a safety mask when spraying paint, when working around machinery such as grinders, saw milling machines, and the like. Since the mask is transparent the wearer can see clearly thercthrough while Wearing it.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an improved facial mask in the form of a contoured transparent shell adapted to fit the curvatures of the human face.

A further object is to provide a form fitting mask made of transparent synthetic resin.

Still another object is to provide a transparent plastic facial mask with a central channel defining a passage for air to and from the Wearers nose and mouth.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mask shown being worn on a persons face.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mask per se.

FIG. 3 is a vertical central sectional view of the mask taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side view of an earpiece and holding button.

The mask shown in FIGS. 1-4 is a form-fitting concave shell made of transparent plastic material. It has a central portion 12 which projects forwardly from the face embracing portion 14 to receive the nose N of the wearer W. The central portion 12 defines a channel 16 through which air can reach the nose of the wearer and through which the wearer can breathe; see FIGS. 3 and 4. The wearer can speak through the mask since the voice sounds will issue through the open bottom 18 of the channel just 3,015,105 Patented Jan. 2, 1962 in front of the wearers chin C. The central portion 12 has generally rectangular opposed side wall portions 15, 17 and an undulated central forward portion 19. The portion 19 projects forwardly further at near the upper end at 21 as clearly shown in FIGS. 1-3. The: mouth M of the wearer is at the open side of the channel.

Earpieces 25 which may be formed of flexible wire or, cloth or plastic covered wire, may be looped at ends 23 around buttons 26 near the opposite side edges 27, 28 of the mask. The buttons may be rivets, screws with heads 29 and threaded shanks 30 as shown in FIG. 5, or the like. The earpieces can be bent into any desired form as indicated by dotted lines at bend end 25 in FIG. 5 to fit snugly on the Wearers ears B.

When the mask is being worn the wearer can easily see through the transparent walls. Central portion 12 may serve as a handle in putting on and taking off mask. The mask fits snugly at the hair line H, at the ears E, and just under the chin C. Thus, makeup being worn on the face by the wearer is protected by the mask. The face is also shielded from adverse ambient conditions of dust, paint, dye and chemical sprays and the like. The body of the mask is preferably made of thermoplastic material so that by heating sufficiently its contour can be changed if required to conform to a particular wearers face. The mask is light and comfortable to wear. It can be manufactured economically by well known mass production plastic molding methods. 7

It is to be understood that this safety face mask is sanitary and it can be easily washed. The mask protects the facial makeup, eyes, nostrils and the entire face of the wearer.

The earpiece 25, may be swung around the buttons 26 to a verticle position when it is not desired to use the earpiece attachments or they may be unhooked and removed from the mask 10 and the mask held in position by hand, for use.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

l. A facial mask for protecting the face of a person while being worn, comprising a generally concave semirigid shell of transparent material, said shell being shaped to fit the contour of a persons face, said shell being formed with a forwardly extending centrally disposed longitudinal portion defining a channel, said channel adapted to receive a persons nose and providing a passage for air to and from a persons nose and month, said channel being open at the bottom of the shell, said shell adapted to extend from the hair line of the wearer down under the chin and from ear to ear, the channel defining portion having opposed generally rectangular side walls and an undulating front wall.

2. A facial mask for protecting the face of a person while being worn, comprising a generally concave. semirigid shell of transparent material, said shell being shaped to fit the contour of a persons face, said shell being formed with a forwardly extending centrally disposed longitudinal portion defining a channel, said channel adapted to receive a persons nose and providing a passage for air to and from a persons nose and mouth, said channel being open at the bottom of the shell, said shell adapted to extend from the hair line of the wearer down under the chin and from 5 ear to ear, the channel defining portion having opposed generally rectangular side Walls and an undulating front Wall, and flexible wire earpieces secured by fastener elements to the shell near opposed edges thereof, said earpieces adapted to be bent to conform to the shape of the 10 car.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cole Aug. 14, 1888 Steckler Aug. 22, 1933 Sievers Oct. 24, 1933 Douglass Mar. 10, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 12, 1907 Germany Feb. 28, 1957 MAM 

